Harvin requests trade, skips Vikings practice

Minnesota Vikings NFL football wide receiver Percy Harvin tells reporters he is upset with the team after he participated in a walkthrough practice during the first day of minicamp, Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Eden Prairie, Minn. Harvin did not elaborate on details. Coach Leslie Frazier says he has talked with Harvin and plans to have more in-depth conversations. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
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Minnesota Vikings NFL football wide receiver Percy Harvin tells reporters he is upset with the team after he participated in a walkthrough practice during the first day of minicamp, Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Eden Prairie, Minn. Harvin did not elaborate on details. Coach Leslie Frazier says he has talked with Harvin and plans to have more in-depth conversations. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
/ AP

Minnesota Vikings NFL football wide receiver Percy Harvin, left, stands with fellow wire receiver Michael Jenkins during the first day of minicamp Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Eden Prairie, Minn. Harvin earlier told reporters he is upset with the team but did not elaborate. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)— AP

Minnesota Vikings NFL football wide receiver Percy Harvin, left, stands with fellow wire receiver Michael Jenkins during the first day of minicamp Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Eden Prairie, Minn. Harvin earlier told reporters he is upset with the team but did not elaborate. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin kneels along the sidelines during the first day of NFL football minicamp, Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Eden Prairie, Minn. Harvin earlier told reporters he is upset with the team but did not elaborate. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)— AP

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin kneels along the sidelines during the first day of NFL football minicamp, Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Eden Prairie, Minn. Harvin earlier told reporters he is upset with the team but did not elaborate. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. 
Percy Harvin was nowhere to be found at the Minnesota Vikings' mandatory minicamp practice Wednesday afternoon, and no one seems to know when the star receiver will be back in purple.

Unhappy with several issues with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2009, Harvin requested a trade, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

After participating in a light walk-through practice on Wednesday morning with his teammates, Harvin wasn't present for the full afternoon practice. Head coach Leslie Frazier declined to go into detail on Harvin's absence and said he wasn't sure if one of the team's most important players would be around for the final day Thursday.

"We're going to talk more in detail," Frazier said. "We have a lot of things to talk about."

Vikings GM Rick Spielman said the organization considers Harvin a cornerstone player and will work to resolve any issues that have upset him.

"We have no interest at all in trading Percy Harvin," Spielman said. "We drafted Percy Harvin here. He's a key part of our organization. He's a key part of our football team. Any issues that are out there, or reported, we always handle those internally, and we'll continue to handle those internally."

The situation seemingly came out of nowhere this week, surprising many Vikings players and coaches when Harvin voiced his frustrations with the team Tuesday at the opening of minicamp.

"I just put it this way: There's a lot of different things that have to be sorted out," Harvin said Tuesday. "Just haven't been really happy lately. We've got a couple of things to work on. I'm here in the classroom. We'll go from there."

Harvin declined to go into detail about his grievances. He is due to make $915,000 in the fourth year of a five-year rookie deal. That total is much lower than veterans Michael Jenkins and Jerome Simpson, with neither coming close to his production on the field.

But indications are that Harvin's issues go far deeper than just money. His role in the offense, which diminished greatly last season when the Vikings reached the red zone, and the organization's decision to go into a rebuilding phase coming off of consecutive last-place finishes in the NFC North combined with his modest salary all figure to factor into his mindset.

Requesting a trade now would be a curious move if his main motivation is a new contract. Most players in similar situations first voice their concerns, then threaten to holdout of training camp before going as far as to request a trade.

Harvin did not speak to reporters on Wednesday, but did post a message on his Twitter account.

"Fans I said I have issues to be worked out money not at all being the problem," Harvin wrote...I've (done) everything asked and more..."

Spielman would not say if money was an issue, but also reiterated the organization's approach to signing players to extensions.